The Day I Finally Found You
by Romantic Kiss
Summary: The beautiful story of how Lily and James met, what happened, and why.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Falling For You.

Lily Evans awoke from a dream. A dream where she was at peace, at rest, and yet...so incomplete. Being a hormone-confused teenager can do that to you. She was a young, 16 year old girl with bright, penetrating, green eyes and thick auburn hair that fell straight to her shoulders. She had a dazzling smile and had a magnetic personality, although her subconscious was clouded with regret. For what had been the umpteenth time, James Potter had asked her out. She was being constantly pursued by him. She never had a moment's peace, and she never will as long as she remained the object of his affection. Trying to get some of the confusion out of her head, she slowly turned her head to look out her window, and gazed into the golden dawn.

X

James Potter was in his dormitory, asleep. He had dreams too. Dreams of Lily. Of kissing Lily. Of marrying Lily. He wanted her for his very own, and he wasn't going to give up, even if it took him forever. It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and his best mate, Sirius, was already awake and ready to greet the dawn. He slowly and stealthily climbed on top of James's bed and began to bounce up and down yelling, " JAMES! JAMES! JAMES! JAMES! JAMES!" James woke up and saw Sirius, his maniacal best mate, jumping up and down on his bed. James tugged on the covers and Sirius fell off, landing on his head.

"You know," said Sirius angrily," you could have done me a serious injury!"

"Oh, really? Like what?" said James with a smile.

"You could've ruined my beautiful face, or given me a head injury!"

"I think you already suffered a head injury. Didn't your mum say she dropped you on your head once or twice?"

"I can NOT believe you just said that!" said Sirius loudly, and he began to fake cry. James punched him in the arm.

"Padfoot, why are you up at 7:00 on a Saturday morning, anyway? There's no Quidditch practice."

"Well, my dear Jamesie..." Sirius began.

"DON'T CALL ME ' JAMESIE '!" yelled James.

"Whatever. Like I said, I am up because I am going on a double date tonight with my best friend. I need to get ready."

"Why in the hell did you wake me up for then?"

"Because you are my best friend and you're going with...DUH! Now come on and get dressed. I've got a hot date and so do you."

"How come you get to know who my date is? I want to know!"

"Well, you can't know, because I am setting you up with someone and I want it to be a surprise. You'd be pretty amazed at who I bagged for you tonight." Sirius grinned devilishly.

"Fine, and if it's Prudence Midgen, I'll be mad."

"I never knew you to be shallow, Prongs. I mean, she's not _that _ugly. She's semi-ugly. And she's got a great personality!"

"Then you go out with her." snapped James. Sirius shut his mouth. Just as he did, Remus Lupin came in through the portrait hole with Lydia Manson on his arm. They were talking and laughing all the way up to the fire place, where they spotted Frank Longbottom.

"Hey, Frank!" yelled Moony.

"What's up?" said Frank.

"That party was GREAT last night, wasn't it?" An evil grin crept up on his face. "And, Frank, you should know that EVERYONE saw you and Alice Rosier snogging last night! It was soooo funny!" Just then, they heard a loud thump, and Sirius Black came crashing down the stairs. And not only Sirius, but Lily Evans.

"Black, watch where you're going! You nearly broke my neck, you bloody lunatic!"

"Evans! Quit trying to fall into me! Evans! Quit studying so much, it's freaky! Evans! Go out with James! EVANS EVANS EVANS EVANS EVANS!" Sirius shouted.

"Oooooooooh, Jamesie! Guess who's been sitting on my lap foe the past 5 minutes? Lily Evans, _your one true love!_"

"Sirius, that isn't even funny!" and with that, James ran promptly downstairs to find his best mate and his one true love sitting on his lap.

"Sirius, leave her alone, she's mine!" He saw that Sirius was laughing.

"Don't worry, Prongs. I know she's your girl." Then an impish grin spread across his face and he turned to Lily. "You know, love, that I honestly don't care if you sit on my lap, though." He grinned once more, and Lily got off his lap and said, "James, let's get this straight. I am not your girl. I am not and I never will be. And Sirius, you are a big dork! There, I said it!" she proceeded to giggle and she ran to the portrait door and exited.

"Wow, Padfoot, she's amazing. Just amazing. Such rich and beautiful hair. Such penetrating green eyes. Such a beautiful smile…"James's voice trailed off. Sirius left James to his thoughts of Lily and walked over to the couch where Moony and Lydia were laying. Lydia was asleep and Moony had his face in his hands.

"Moony, are you _crying_?" said Sirius. Remus looked up at him defensively and said, "No, I am NOT!"

"Then what's wrong? Are you o.k.?"

"No Padfoot. I'm not o.k. I miss her. I miss Anna."

Of course, Sirius thought, Anna Beante. Anna was a foreign exchange student from Beauxbatons Academy. She traded living space with Eliza Humphrey, and resided in Gryffindor Tower. She had beautiful blue eyes, long blonde hair, and soft, creamy skin. She was Moony's first girlfriend, and she was gone. She had to go back to Beauxbatons because the F.E.S. program was over. However, she refused to leave. Her parents had to come from France and drag her home. She knew that Moony was a werewolf, and she didn't care. But she vowed that she would be back some day. He loved her so much that it hurt. But she was gone, and now just a distant memory.

Moony went down to breakfast, leaving Lydia in the common room. He didn't know why, but he had a funny feeling that something was going to change. Something very big and important. Just then, Lydia came down into the Great Hall, looking for him, and looking upset. This is a great chance to run,he thought,and he took off faster than a cursed broomstick.

**A/N That was the first chapter. Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Quidditch Practice.

"Come _on_, Lily! I want to try out for the team!" whined Artemys.

"Then why do you need _me _here? Quidditch isn't that important to me. It hardly matters at all. Besides, you only want to try out because your _boyfriend_ is on the team!" said Lily. Artemys's face turned slightly pink.

"No! I want you there because you are my best friend and you have to see me play. That's why I'm dragging you down here."

"Whatever, but I'm sure you'll be fine." said Lily.

"You're coming anyway! Hurry up!" Lily and Artemys came out to the Quidditch field to find the old Gryffindor Quidditch team but a sign that read: 'Try outs postponed till October 21st. Thank you, sincerely: James Potter.'

Lily smiled devilishly. "See? You really didn't need me here. Try outs are postponed!" and as soon as they began to walk away, they heard a voice call out, "Hey, Evans! Bones! Come here a minute!" They turned around to see Sirius Black calling after them.

"What do you want, Black?" said Lily. Artemys blushed to a very rosy red color and giggled.

"What I want, Evans, is to know _why_ you are down here, and _who_ is this beautiful girl that you are hiding from me?" Sirius indicated Artemys, and she smiled.

Sirius's face held an odd look. It was a dawning comprehension, a realization, a look of love. Artemys stared right back at him and said, "Hi, Sirius."

"Hi, Artemys… ummmm…. ummmm…."

"Want to play some Quidditch?" said Artemys. Sirius nodded. They both walked away from Lily, leaving her all alone. Lily proceeded to leave the pitch when she heard her name cried out.

"Lily!" yelled the voice, "Lily, wait!" She turned around to find James Potter flying to her. As soon as he landed, he got off his broom and walked over to her. He grinned shyly and said, "Hi, Lily! Were you coming to try out for the team?"

Lily gave him a quizzical look. "Me?" she said, "No. Artemys wanted to try out, and she wanted me to come so I can 'support' her. I can't play Quidditch to save my life."

"Oh, o.k." said James, looking crestfallen. Then an idea struck him. "Maybe we can teach you how to play!"

"I don't have the best hand-eye coordination…"

"All you need is a broomstick and the proper supplies." He said.

"O.K., then! Teach me." said Lily. James smiled at her. She smiled back. Then they proceeded to walk down to where Artemys and Sirius were standing.

"What you really have to know are the rules of Quidditch." explained James.

"Like what?" asked Lily.

"Well, first of all," said James in a very business-like tone, "You have to know how to pass a Quaffle, and make sure that you don't pass it to the opposing team's Chasers."

"I already figured that much out, genius!" laughed Lily.

"Genius?" said Sirius, in an awestruck voice, "You called James a 'genius'? What planet are you from?" Sirius began to laugh, and James took this opportunity to yell, "Look! It's Lindsay McClane!"

"Where? Where? Hide me! That girl is crazy!" Sirius dived under the goal hoops and ran straight into the broom shed. He fell backwards, then stuck a finger in the air and yelled, "I'M O.K!"

Lindsay McClane was one of the many girls who had a crush on Sirius, but she was more obsessive over him. Just last year, during the middle of Dumbledore's welcoming speech, she stood on the table and announced her undying love to Sirius Black. She even pointed him out. Lucky for him, he wasn't easily embarrassed.

"So, Lily, are you ready to fly?" asked James.

"Whatever, let's just go!" and with that, she mounted her broomstick and took off. He flew after her. She was a very graceful flyer. She circled the goal posts and flew to him.

"O.K., what do I do now?" asked Lily.

"Well, you have to know how to catch stuff… you are really good at that. I should know."

"How do you know what I'm good at?"

"For starters, you've caught my eye ever since first year, and you've caught my heart in a web of love."

"That is officially the _cheesiest_ pick up line I've ever heard!"

"Well, you can't say I didn't try." said James sheepishly.

"When and if you two country hens stop_ clucking_, I'd like to play some Quidditch now!" yelled Sirius.

"Well," said James, "we better not keep them waiting." And as they started flying, some one came on to the pitch.

He was a tall, greasy-haired boy, with eyes like black poison. Soon after this boy came out, a group of darkly dressed and masked figures dispatched onto the field. Lily had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, and just as soon as she was about to speak, James landed on the field and approached the group. Soon the others followed.

"What are you and your people doing out here, Snivellus?"

"Why, Potter. Merely enjoying the sunshine. You should too. Might be the last time you'll ever see it." Snape spoke in a waspish, low voice. His eyes were glinting dangerously at James, and his hazel eyes stared straight back into him.

"What do you mean by that?" said James fiercely. Snape said nothing but merely looked over James's shoulder and spotted Lily.

"Playing with a Mudblood, Potter? And I thought you could sink no lower…" James raised his fist and punched Snape in the mouth.

"No one calls her a Mudblood, and if I hear you so much as comment on the weather to her, I'll kill you."

"You haven't got it in you, Potter, not even for me." said Snape, who was now sporting a bloody lip, "How pathetic."

Sirius raised his wand and pointed it at Snape's heart. Snape eyed the wand, and brought his own out at that very moment.

"Sectumsempra!" yelled Snape.

"Crontantiosa!" shouted Sirius. The wand turned around and plastered the 'Sectumsempra' spell back on Snape.

"Using dark magic, Black? Never thought you had it in you…"

"That's what I learned from living in that house. Besides, being a Black means I can learn other fun stuff like that.

Leave, Snape. And take your groupies with you." Sirius said. Snape spat into the dirt and stalked off. The others soon followed.

As they left, Lily began to shake. She didn't know why, but she began to tremble fiercely.

"Lily?" said James. She collapsed and fell to the ground. Soon, everyone gathered around her, and James carried her off to the hospital wing.

**A/N- Ooooh, what happens next? Also, for anyone who caught it, I messed up the title of the story. Yes, I know I'm retarded. Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Awoken

James held Lily in his arms as if she were a newborn child. He slowly set her down on the bed. She was unconscious. Her hair gently flopped onto her face, and James brushed it off. Even unconscious, she was beautiful. James motioned to Artemys and Sirius to move in closer.

"Thanks for carrying her, James." said Artemys, "She is a light person, but I would have never been able to carry her up those stairs."

"No problem." said James, "anything for Lily."

They waited there a few minutes for Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse. When the nurse finally arrived, she looked at Lily and said, "What happened?"

"We were out playing Quidditch, and I was showing Lily how to pass and catch." James began. "We were just playing when some masked people and Snape came on to the pitch and started saying stuff about Lily. I went down there and told him off, and then he tried to curse Sirius. Sirius repelled the curse and sent it back to Snape. Then Lily just, collapsed or something. That was what happened." he finished. Madam Pomfrey glanced at him and then proceeded to get Lily a hospital gown. After she left, James and the others began to talk.

"What do you think happened to her?" asked Artemys.

"I don't know." said James.

"I think I know." said Sirius quietly.

"What?" said Artemys.

"I think that she got hit by the old Hixerbix curse." said Sirius.

"The _what_?" said James and Artemys in unison.

"The old Hixerbix curse. That curse is passed down from each dark family of wizards to the next, but it's really old, so only a pureblooded witch or wizard would have known it. It isn't published in any books because the curse is an ancient family secret."

"How come we heard no one say anything except Snape, then?" demanded James.

"Because the spell can only be said silently, so that person is really good at charms."

"What does it do?" said Artemys.

"It has a dementor-like effect on a person. It makes them relive unhappy memories. In Lily's case, there must have been some powerfully bad memories. And it hurts, badly. I should know." said Sirius grimly.

"How is that?" asked James.

"Because my uncle Archibald put it on me because I refused to tell him where Regulus put his 5000 Galleon ring." said Sirius.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." said James. They sat in an awkward silence for about 3 minutes, and as they looked around, they saw Madam Pomfrey coming back with Lily's hospital gown.

"O.K, dears. You must step outside for a moment. I need to change Miss Evans into her gown." said Madam Pomfrey.

"Awwwww, do we have to go? I honestly don't mind you changing Miss Evans in front of us. James, do you mind?" said Sirius. James shook his head.

"Come on guys, lets go." said Artemys. They left Lily's bedside and walked out the doors. They stood outside for about 5 minutes when Remus showed up with a big smile on his face.

"Hey, peeps! What's up?" said Remus.

"Don't talk like that, Remus. It sounds like Wormtail trying to be cool." said Sirius.

"O.K, I won't say it anymore. But really, why are you all standing outside the hospital wing? Let me guess… Calli Brewster flew into the Whomping Willow again?"

"No, Moony. Lily Evans got hurt. We were in there, but Poppy had to change her into her gown, so we had to leave." said James.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry, James. I should've known. How did she get hurt?"

"Long story, we'll tell you later." said James. His eyes met Moony's, and then they fell to the floor. He felt so bad for what happened to Lily. If he didn't ask her to stay for Quidditch, she wouldn't be laying in that hospital. His heart started to burn with anger. He felt so stupid, and he knew that she was going to tell him off the minute she woke up.

"I swear on it guys," said James quietly, "Every time we start getting along, something messes us up. Is that supposed to be some sort of sign?" he sighed heavily. Every one looked at him.

"No, mate, I don't think it's a sign. You and Lily were made for each other. I know that your life would be meaningless and small with out her. Her world would be empty without you, even if she won't admit to it. Just remember, tomorrow's a brand new day, a brand new chance. Don't give up." said Moony.

"Thanks, Moony. I just don't know anymore. What if she hates me? What if she never wants to see my face again?" James said. As soon as he was done talking, Madam Pomfrey came out and announced that Lily was awake and that they could go see her.

They entered the hospital again. James was nervous. He was so afraid of what she might say, but Sirius patted him on the back and led him to Lily's bed.

Lily was sitting upright. Her green eyes were alive and full of light. She was smiling as she chatted with Danielle Parks. Her auburn hair flowed in the wind and she was glowing. She took notice of James and the others and waved. She beckoned them closer and spoke.

"Hi, guys! Um, what happened to me? And how did I get here?" said Lily.

"Well, you collapsed on the Quidditch pitch and James carried you up to the hospital." said Artemys. James looked away at these words. Lily smiled and said, "James, come here please. And can the rest of you guys wait out there for a minute?"

"Alright." said everyone, and the rest departed. James sat on the chair beside Lily's bed. She looked at him and she spoke once more.

"James, I wanted to thank you for bringing me in here. I don't know what I would've done, and I know that Artemys wouldn't have been able to carry me up 4 staircases." And she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. He sat in silent shock, and then he touched the spot on his face where she kissed him and said, "You're welcome." She put his hand in hers and they stared into each others' eyes for what seemed like eternity.

The sun was beginning to set outside, illuminating all that was around them. The birds tweeted softly, the lake shimmered, and romance was in the air.

**A/N I am working on the 4th chapter. I am also working on another story. It isn't the sequel, or another love story, but it is really good. Please review. **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Lily In The Moonlight

"Lily! James! Are we allowed back in now?" yelled Sirius from outside the door. Lily's mind snapped back to reality and said, "James, I also wanted to tell you that I am being released tonight. Also, our friends are waiting for us, so we'd better go." James nodded in agreement. He helped Lily out of the bed and they grabbed her clothes and walked out of the room, hand in hand. They reached the door and opened it to find their friends locking lips.

"Um, Artemys?" said Lily. James laughed as Sirius and Artemys stopped kissing. Artemys blushed and then a look of realization came onto her face.

"Sirius! Double date, remember?" she said urgently.

"Yeah…Come on James, we have to get ready." said Sirius. Sirius and James took off down the Charms corridor.

"Come on, Lily. We got to get ready for our date tonight." said Artemys. Then she and Lily ran to the common room.

When they arrived, the common room was deserted. All of the other students went to Hogsmeade. Lily and Artemys went upstairs to change into their dress robes. They hurriedly slipped them on, put on their make up, and did each other's hair. They slid on their shoes, grabbed their purses, and ran down the stairs. They entered the common room and climbed out of the portrait hole.

Lily looked stunning. She was wearing white dress robes, black eyeliner, and clear lip gloss. Her shoes were white and they sparkled. Her hair was left down with a white headband. Artemys wore a blue gown with her hair up in an elegant bun and loads of jewelry and make up.

They walked down the stairs, through the Great Hall, and out the door. They stepped out onto the path. They shined in the moonlight as they made their way to Hogsmeade village.

Hogsmeade had many stores, restaurants, and shops. The little village was beautiful, even in the dark. Young couples were holding each other's hands, kissing, walking together, laughing and talking. Lily felt her heart rise as she entered. She hadn't been to Hogsmeade in months, because of her many piles of homework. Eventually, she and Artemys made it to the restaurant, _Roses And Wine_, and entered. Artemys approached the maitre'd.

"Do you have a reservation?" said the maitre'd.

"Of course. Bones, party of four." said Artemys. The maitre'd scanned the book and spoke once more.

"Very well, I shall take you to your table." Lily and Artemys followed the maitre'd to table 17, where two people were already seated. One of them was a young man with grey eyes and long, black hair. The other one sitting next to him was…

"James?" said Lily in surprise.

"L-Lily?" James sputtered. Lily smiled and took her seat next to James, who was blushing uncontrollably. Sirius held in a laugh. Artemys sat down next to Sirius and kissed him on the cheek. James turned to Lily and said, "You look beautiful tonight, Lily."

She smiled. "Thank you, James. You look great, too." She then smiled and picked up her menu.

Sirius wasn't paying them or anyone else that much attention. He was staring at the menu with a hungry look on his face. _What should I order?_ He thought to himself, _or better yet, what shouldn't I order? Let's see…clams…eww, squid…eww…chocolate cake…yummy…pork chops…not as eww as clams but still eww…_

Artemys had her hands folded into her lap, waiting for the rest to decide on what they were going to eat. She was bored, so she started to tear the napkin. _Jeez, this dress is uncomfortable. I can't wait to get out of it, _thought Artemys.

_I can't wait till I get to help Artemys out of that dress…_thought Sirius. He grinned to himself and decided that now was as good a time as any to spark a conversation.

"So, what's been happening, people? I've been stuck up in the Great Hall, and these little first years are all crowding around me and stuff. Did you ever notice that the younger students stare at the older ones as they pass by? I swear, they look at me as if I was an alien or something." said Sirius quickly. James looked as if he was about to laugh. Lily looked at Sirius with an incredulous look on her face. Artemys just laughed.

"You can't blame me, it was too quiet. I couldn't stand it!" said Sirius. He paused and waited a few seconds. They all stared at him.

"WHAT!" said Sirius loudly. The entire restaurant looked at him. Then he settled down and spoke again.

"Artemys, love, do I look like a pork chop?" said Sirius quietly.

"No…..why?" said Artemys.

"Then why is everyone in the bleeding restaurant STARING AT ME!" Sirius said so loudly that it made several of the customers jump. Just then, a waitress came towards their table. She had red hair and brown eyes. She was in her mid-30's, and she was pregnant. She took out a quill and some parchment and began taking their orders.

"Good evening, I am Molly, and I'll be your waitress tonight. Can I get you anything." She peered around the table inquiringly.

"I'll have a Sierra Mist." said Artemys. The waitress called Molly nodded and looked at Lily.

"Iced tea for me, please. No lemon." said Lily. Molly then looked over to James and spoke.

"James Potter?" she said inquiringly.

"Yes?" he said pleasantly.

"Oh my God! I haven't seen you since you started Hogwarts! What are you now, like, 17?"

"Actually, I won't be 17 for a few months. _I_ remember that _you're_ 36! How can you _not_ remember my age?" said James incredulously. Molly hushed him and said, "To anyone who asks, I'm 29!" She then smiled and took their orders. She collected the menus and left the table.

"I think that this will be a very pleasant evening." said Lily. Artemys smiled. Sirius laughed. James muttered to himself, "Baby, you don't even know the half of it." Molly came back with their drinks and told them that their meals would be ready shortly.

Lily stared out the window into the night sky. She looked into the stars and her eyes sparkled, the moon illuminating her porcelain skin.

**A/N It wasn't posted sooner b/c I had lots of H/W to do. My teachers are evil. EVIL! Oh, yeah. Plz review.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Falling Rain

_This could not be more perfect,_ James thought, _the atmosphere, the company, Lily…_

Lily, James, Sirius, and Artemys were all seated at their table, sipping their drinks and waiting for Molly to bring back their dishes. They were engaged in a deep discussion about Quidditch.

"I know that Tom Collins is one of the greatest seekers around, but I still say that Hector Krum is the best Quidditch player there is." said Sirius stubbornly.

"Krum is a pretty awful Beater, and you know it as well as I do that Tom Collins helped the Irish to victory at last year's World Cup." said James.

"I don't care what either of you say. Ludo Bagman is the best Quidditch player around, and I'll hear no different." said Artemys. Lily looked from Sirius to James to Artemys, shook her head, and said to herself, "Quidditch nerds."

"Hey! We are NOT nerds!" said Sirius, James, and Artemys in unison. Just then, Molly brought their dishes and placed them on the table. Everyone looked up.

"Julienne salad?" said Molly. Lily took her dish and began to place the dressing on it.

"Two t-bone steaks with double mashed potatoes and gravy?" said Molly. Sirius eyed the plate greedily and said, _"My precious!"_ and took it.

"Stuffed chicken marsala?" said Molly. James took his plate quietly and placed it in front of him.

"And last but not least, lemon rice soup." She handed the bowl to Artemys and placed a bread basket onto the table.

"I will bring your dessert shortly." said Molly. "Enjoy your dinner." Molly walked off towards the kitchens, leaving everyone to talk.

Sirius was already halfway through his plate. He had mashed potatoes all over his face. James was slowly slicing his marsala, and Artemys was eating her soup. Lily slowly ate her salad and savored every bite.

"So, what's been going on?" said Sirius. The entire table stopped and looked at him funny.

"Come on people! Work with me here! I am sooooo bored. So bored. Oh so bored. Bored bored bored bored bored. BORED!"

"Sirius, you're my best mate, but SHUT UP!" roared James.

"Psycho! All yelling at me and stuff! Just watch how you talk to me, _little Jamesie_..." said Sirius evilly.

"What do you mean by that?" said James in harsh tones.

"I mean, well, you don't want people knowing your little _secret_..."

"_What_ secret? That I like Lily? _Everyone knows that, goofball_."

"No Jamesie, puppet on my fingers, I meant what you did last summer when we were walking through Surrey and then-"

"OK! OK! I WON'T SAY ANYTHING!" said James quickly. Sirius laughed his bark-like laugh and turned towards his plate. He proceeded to lick it clean. Lily looked from Artemys to James to Sirius and spoke.

"Enlighten me, Sirius. What _did_ James do in Surrey last summer?" said Lily.

Sirius stopped licking his plate and said, "Well, while we were taking a stroll through the village where his crush lived, he saw her taking off her clothes in the window and-" Sirius was cut off once more by James elbowing him in the ribs. Sirius punched James in the shoulder and finished in a hurried sentence, "_And_ he painted a picture of it when he got home and he hung it up in his room!"

Lily looked at James and he blushed.

"It's just that, well, you are the inspiration for all my art. The scene was just so breathtaking, so inspiring, so..."

"James, stop. You're going all fruity on me and it's weird." said Sirius. He slipped James something under the table and James hurriedly stuffed it into his pocket. Lily noticed but paid no mind to it, and continued to eat her salad.

They were finished by the time Molly came back with the dessert. She brought them a small ice cream cake that was divided into 4 equal pieces. Each piece had chocolate icing on it. It looked delicious. She put a small slice on four separate plates and served them.

"Here you are. Enjoy." and with that, she left them again.

They each began to indulge (of course Sirius was done with his before anyone else had started to eat theirs) and talk lightly. Artemys took one bite and placed her fork back onto the table.

"Wow, I am so full." said Artemys.

"Really, love? All you ate was that soup! Personally, I'd have been dying if I only ate that much!" said Sirius.

"We all don't have to eat like pigs, Sirius. Besides, you have some icing on your face." said Artemys.

"So?"

"Here's a napkin, use it." said Artemys, and she handed him a napkin.

"No! I'm saving it for later!" said Sirius loudly. He slapped the napkin out of her hand.

"What a baby…"

"Yes I am. And I'd like my ba-ba in a few minutes." Sirius and Artemys argued for a few minutes and then settled down. Just then, Artemys spoke.

"Sirius?" said Artemys quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Bathroom. Now?"

"Oh yeah!" and Sirius and Artemys headed off towards the bathroom, leaving Lily and James alone.

"So, what is the deal with those two? Little kids or what?" said James laughingly.

"I know. But they can't help it. They are still stuck in fourth year."

"Yeah, and so were we for a while. But look at us now..."

Lily merely smiled and looked out the window.

While she was looking out, she noticed that there was a group of people gathered around a man in the street. All of them had looks of concern and worry on their faces. One woman was crying, bent over the person on the ground. Lily then spoke to the table.

"James, look outside." said Lily urgently. He looked out the window and spotted the large crowd.

"We'd better go and see what it's all about." said James. They left the table and grabbed their cloaks. They stepped outside, into the cruel, cold wind. They were rushing to get to the crowd to see what was going on.

The night air was stained with blood and death. It was on the ground. It was in the rivers. It was in the air.

Just as Lily and James approached the crowd, Sirius and Artemys rushed after them.

James made it there first. He was the first to hear the woman's cries.

"We were just here getting gifts for our son's birthday and as we were walking, he just fell to the ground…just fell to the ground…" the woman started sobbing loudly.

James parted the crowd with his arms, bent down above the body, and looked in the face of his dead father.

Hot tears rolled down his cheeks, his throat constricted. He had a horrified look on his face. He looked once more into his father's blank, gaping eyes and looked to the sky. Then came the rain. It poured over all of them and washed most of the blood away. The crowd slowly dissolved and parted. He stood to face his mother. She stood still.

"Oh, James. I am so sorry that you had to see that. I.. I just can't believe he's gone..." James fell into his mother's arms and he cried. She held him close and hugged him. He stopped crying and stood up tall. James walked back over to his father's body and looked into his eyes. His mother went into the Three Broomsticks and got Madam Rosmerta to call the ministry.

James took off his cloak and placed it on the ground. He then picked up his father's body and placed it on the cloak and wrapped him up in it.

_Whoever did this is going to pay_, he thought, _they will pay dearly... _

**A/N It's been a while since I last updated b/c of my hw issues and b/c I had major writers' block. Plz review.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Bloodstained

James waited by his father's body until his mother returned. She was being lead back to him by a tearful Rosmerta. Mrs. Potter walked steadily towards James, fell into him, and sobbed. She began to talk in full sentences again and told James a horrible thing.

"James, honey, you need to leave Hogwarts for now." said Mrs. Potter. James stood in shock. Leave Hogwarts? Why? But he couldn't...

"Mum, I can't. I have to learn." said James quietly. Mrs. Potter looked up at him and said, "Honey, I need you at home. You know I wouldn't ask otherwise."

"Mum, I will come home for the funeral and wake. What kind of son would I be if I didn't?" said James steadily. She looked as if se was about to cry some more, but she fought the tears in the back of her eyes. She put on a strained smile and said, "I'm so proud of you, James. I want you to know that I love you and I always will. The ministry is coming to take your father's body, and I'll be here when they do. Behave and I'll see you on Wednesday. Now... you better head back up to school, I don't want Dumbledore on my case."

"I will, Mum, I will. Love you."

James kissed his mum on the cheek and walked towards the castle. Lily, Sirius, and Artemys followed. James was walking at a fast pace, making him difficult to catch up with. Mrs. Potter followed them with her eyes till they were out of sight.

_My dad, my only father...gone...forever..._he thought to himself. Everyone else was silent, letting him meddle in his own thoughts.

They were walking up the steep path to Hogwarts Castle. The moon was out and the sky was clear. There was a slight frost on the ground and the stars shone with dim light. Suddenly, a wind blew past them and made the hairs on the back of their necks rise. The wind became fiercer, and rain fell once more.

All of a sudden, there was a slight growling sound in the background that made them jump. James sped around and peered into the undefined darkness. Nothing, he thought, just the wind. The four continued the walk up the path until they heard a scream.

This scream was out of fear. A cold, high, blood-curdling scream that pierced through the dark sky.

"Lily, honey, please stay here." said James tensley. Lily looked up at him and said, "Why?"

"Because I'd feel really bad if something happened to you."

Sirius turned and said very quickly, "That goes the same for you too, Artemys." Unfortunately, by the time Sirius finished his sentence, Artemys was already heading off towards the screaming. Sirius chased after her, leaving Lily and James abandoned in the rain.

"Artemys! Don't get too close! He might bite you!" Sirius yelled at the top of his lungs. Artemys spun around and said, "Someone is screaming, Sirius! Can't you hear them?"

"Yes, but I _won't_ let you get hurt! Move! Now!" He yelled.

Sirius rushed over to a pile of rocks where the screams were emitted and transformed into a big black dog. There was a hulking monster with his fangs bared and a young girl cowering against the rock. There was nothing short of blind fear in her eyes. The terror on her face said what no words could say. As the monster was about to strike, a gigantic stag lunged forward onto its chest. The young girl fainted, and Lily and Artemys sprinted towards the fallen figure to help her to safety. James and Sirius were still in battle.

The monster looked to the stag and the black dog and bared its fangs. Sirius bit the monster in the chest and it whimpered. James pushed it to the ground. A cloud covered the moon, and a flash of blue in it's eyes was seen before the monster stood up and began to attack again. All of a sudden, Lily began charging towards them with her wand in her hand. She pointed the wand straight at the monster's heart and said, "Repithomis!" The monster fell to the ground, apparently unconsious. Then, the monster began to fade.

The massive arms and legs shrivelled up to the size of ones belonging to a boy's. The torso slowly turned back to a young man's chest. The face contorted grotesquely back into a human's. The body of Remus Lupin was laying spread-eagled on the ground. Lily was in a state of shock. She almost started to cry. James and Sirius merely shook their heads and picked him up. They carried him off to the castle, leaving Lily, Artemys, and the young girl. They looked to the ground, where they saw that the young girl was stirring.

"Is 'e alright? Where is my Remus? Where did 'e go? One meenute I was walking weeth 'im, ze next 'e turned into zis big, furry, werewolf sing..." the young girl fell back into the dirt. Lily and Artemys picked her up and followed the boys to the castle.

The starlight only paled the color of blood that night...

**A/N I had SEVERE writer's block and the only reason the chapter is posted is b/c I had a sudden inspiration. Hope u all enjoy. Plz review.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Anna

Lily and Artemys were slowly carrying the young girl up the stairs and into the hospital wing. They found that James and Sirius were already there, standing next to Remus's limp body. James walked over to the door and took the young girl to a hospital bed in the far right corner. Sirius, Artemys, and Lily were standing over Remus, while James went to notify Madam Pomfrey of the new arrival.

"So," said Sirius quietly, "do you think they'll be o.k?"

"Maybe," said Artemys, "because that girl didn't get hurt or anything. But why did Remus try to hurt her?"

"Yeah...why? I know Remus, and he'd never hurt anyone. What's up?" said Lily. Sirius gave them an uneasy look. Lily grew impatient. "Spill it, Black!"

"O.k, o.k. But you have to swear not to tell anyone!" Lily and Artemys nodded. Sirius took a deep breath and spoke.

"That girl is one of his ex's. Or, as far as I know, one of his ex's. Her name is Anna. She used to go here. Also, he turns into a blood thirsty werewolf once a month. Me, James, and Peter are illegal Animagi. My favorite color is pink. James's is green and red. Remus's is blue. Peter's is yellow. I am a Virgo. Also, when I was three-"

"Sirius, we didn't need your life story. We need to know why he attacked Anna." said Artemys angrily.

"Chill, Myssi. I need to tell the whole story. Anyway, so we learned that Remus was a werewolf in our third year. He didn't tell anyone because he was afraid of what others might think. Anna found out on her own. She saw Madam Pomfrey sneak him off to the Shreiking Shack. She confronted him on it and he denied it, of course. but then she told him that she didn't care what others thought and she would love him forever, no matter what. She had such a fierce dedication to him that she told Dumbledore she wanted to enroll. He said,"The more the merrier," and he gave her the forms. Mr. and Mrs. Beante caught wind of it and came to Hogwarts to take their daughter home. She refused to leave, and she actually held on to Remus so they wouldn't take her. Somehow, they pried her off and took her home. And, she made a big scene. People teased him about it for days, but he didn't care. He cried himself to sleep, and I think he still does. I felt so bad for him that it wasn't even funny. Anyway, that's what happened. Satisfied?"

"Not really, Sirius. All that stuff was interesting and all, but you still didn't answer my question. _Why did he attack Anna?" _said Artemys. Sirius rolled his eyes and spoke.

"Love, do you know anything about werewolves? They attack humans. When a werewolf transforms, it looses all sense of who he is. Remus would've atacked me or James too if we got in his way."

The girls sat in shock. By the end of the story, Lily was in tears and Artemys had a look of disbelief on her face. _Poor Remus_, thought Lily. Sirius looked at both of them, and as he did, he heard Anna stirring.

"Well, _Muzzer_, I must tell you zat I will be leaving France forever. I love 'im and zere is nothing zat you can do about eet! Goodbye!" Anna sat bolt upright in her bed and shook her long blonde hair out of her eyes. She looked around and said, "Where am I? What is zis place? Oh, wait. I've seen zis room before.. zis is 'Ogwarts!" She turned her head and saw Sirius and the others standing over Remus's body. Anna leapt out of bed and ran towards them.

As soon as she arrived, she scooped Remus up in her arms and cried, "Zis is all my fault! All my fault! I should 'ave known better zan to see him on ze day of ze full moon! Eet's all my fault!" Anna sobbed harder than ever with Remus in her arms.

" 'E might be dead and eet will be all my fault! 'Ow can I face 'is muzzer knowing zat it is my fault?" Sirius patted her shoulder and tried to console her. Just then, James returned with Professor Dumbledore. He looked from Remus to Sirius to a sobbing Anna to Lily.

"What has happened here, Miss Evans?" asked Dumbledore.

"Ummm, we found this girl on Hogwarts grounds and Remus laying outside of the Whomping Willow. They were unconsious." said Lily quickly. Dumbledore eyed her suspiciously and said, "Well, I'll study this matter further. I'll need to see Mr. Lupin and Miss-?"

"Beante," Anna said quietly, "Anna Beante."

"I'll see you and Mr. Lupin in my office tomorrow. 10 am sharp. Good evening to you all." And with that, Dumbledore departed, leaving the others alone with Anna and Remus.

"So, did Poppy tell you what was wrong with Remus?" asked James. They shook their heads. James decided to stare at the floor. He couldn't believe that Anna came when she knew that tonight was the full moon. He thought to himself for a minute, and just as he was about to speak, Professor McGonagall ran in, looking terribly out of breath.

McGonagall's hair was falling out of it's neatly done knot and she was grasping her chest. Everyone in the room turned to stare. She looked up and spoke.

"Mr. Potter, I must speak with you." James looked at her in surprise and moved towards her. Sirius began to follow.

"Privately, Mr. Black." said McGonagall. Sirius grinned and said, "That's never stopped me before. Oh come on! I thought you loved me!" Sirius began to fake cry asMcGonagall gave a rare smile and spoke once more.

"That'll do, Mr. Black, that'll do." Sirius pouted and walked back to Remus. James looked at her and spoke.

"Look, I know for a fact that Sirius clogged up all the toilets in the girl's bathroom-not me." McGonagall shook her head and said, "Mr. Potter, stop. I know full well that Mr. Black is responsible. I just wanted to tell you that, well, since your father has passed on, you inherit his membership for the Order of the Phoenix."

James froze in shock. The Order? Him? What was he going to do? How was he going to tell his friends? Or, more importantly, how was he supposed to tell Lily...

"Also, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office. I will inform your friends on your whereabouts. Good day." Professor McGonagall took off down the hallway towards the teachers lounge, and soon James took off for Dumbledore.

He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he didn't know why...

**A/N- The author has been grounded. I'm not even supposed to be on right now, but whatever. Happy Holidays and plz review.**


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